Charlene Sarmiento

“Arknights: Endfield has the makings to be one of 2026's standout titles—a decent story that has potential, multiple engaging gameplay mechanics, a vibrant world to explore, and solid audio and visual design. Aside from the gacha system that not many people may be used to, it deserves high marks everywhere else. Its future is bright, and they can only keep going up from here.”

“UNBEATABLE is an unapologetically stylish and vibrant rhythm narrative-adventure game that combines engaging rhythm gameplay, stunning audio-visual presentation, and a colorful cast to meet. However, it's clearly unpolished with its number of technical and visual issues, unfortunately lending itself to a dampened gameplay experience, as well as a painfully slow paced narrative that can scare off other intrigued players. Nevertheless, with a bit more shine, it will become an UNBEATABLE gem in the rhythm scene in its own right.”

“Vivid World is an enjoyable auto-battler strategy game with roguelike elements, wrapped in one fun package. It's got it all, from fun gameplay, to cute, whimsical visuals, and a gripping story, coming together for a solid gameplay experience that will have you entertained for hours.”

“Escape from Tarkov's world is unforgiving, and is definitely not for casual play. Yet, its the challenge and engaging gameplay that makes it all the better. It's still weighed down by bugs and glitches and connection issues here and there, as well as the disappointing lack of (free) PvE, but it's a solid FPS extraction game for those looking for an extra hard challenge.”

“Rue Valley is an isometric narrative RPG gem that blends a captivating, emotionally-charged story with memorable characters all in one package. Although it has a few technical weaknesses, it doesn't heavily retract from the overall experience. Eugene Harrow's strange journey into the unknown of his own psyche and other people is an intriguing, even relatable, experience.”

“Escape from Duckov is one hell of a fun extraction shooter that scratches the itch for the genre in an easy-to-digest package without the initial stress of PvP and more complex game mechanics. It boasts smooth controls, simple but thrilling point and shoot gameplay, and exciting, meaningful progression with just enough of a challenge to not make it a bore. RNG can make or break your runs, but it’s just a small part of everything else good about the game. And of course, the best part—you play as a duck!”

“Sushi Ben is a charming story-driven adventure game that is quirky, whimsical, and incredibly vibrant. From an intriguing slice-of-life-esque story told in vibrant, 3D manga panels, simple gameplay that everyone can enjoy, to a cast of colorful, unforgettable characters, it’s a fun journey to experience. However, its weakness lies in its plethora of bugs and glitches, the most common of all being ones that soft-lock players out of the game, which can be quite frustrating to replay.”

“POPUCOM is an engaging and innovative co-op game popping with color and fun. With its blend of different gameplay elements such as 3D platforming, puzzles, Match-3, and gunplay, it's surely an experience that will test your teamwork with your player two to the nth level. While there is no singleplayer mode as its mechanics are designed for two players or more, everything is best experienced the more the merrier.”

“SEDAP! A Culinary Adventure is a wonderful and whimsical co-op title that blends together cooking mini-games with hack-n-slash combat elements to create a solid experience, whether you're playing with a player two or alone. While there are still some bugs and glitches, as well as some unclear mechanics that can leave you confused, SEDAP still delivers through its enjoyable gameplay and interesting story.”

“The Talos Principle: Reawakened serves as the definitive edition of the original game, elevating an already good game into greater heights. With a new chapter to explore, enhanced graphics, as well as anti-frustration puzzle measures, Reawakened is a good place to start for new players, and a great piece of nostalgia to go back to for older players---if they can get past the $40 price tag, that is.”

“Battlefield Waltz blends together love and war to create a compelling tale, supported by charming and well-written characters as well as great character design and sounds that make for an engaging experience. However, its weakness lies in its slow pace in some areas, lack of innovative gameplay, as well as a steep price tag that may intimidate some.”

“On Your Tail is a lovely indie detective-life sim title with a charming cast, intriguing plot, and bright graphics that has hours upon hours of content for players to explore...if you can get past its technical issues and sluggish loading, that is. What is essentially a great indie game is bogged down by its performance issues that take away from the gameplay experience.”

“Sugardew Island is another entry into the ever-popular farming simulator genre that aims to deliver a cozy, no pressure gameplay experience. However, the experience quickly turns from cozy to frustrating given the game's bugs and glitches, unintuitive control scheme, and limiting energy bar.”

“Carmen Sandiego’s 2025 rendition is a charming new title that adds on to the beloved series. Full of puzzles, minigames, and fun facts about countries and landmarks all at the palm of your hand in one stunning modern style. However, its steep price tag, PC optimization issues, and forgettable soundtrack might dampen the experience a bit.”

“Keep Driving is a road trip themed adventure-RPG with resource management elements that takes you on a cross-country journey in the warm confines of your car. With familiar RPG elements, stunning pixel art, tons of content to discover, this road trip fantasy will surely be a great addition to any cozy RPG fan’s library.”

“Threefold Recital is an adventure-visual novel type of game with a compelling storyline, likeable characters, and engaging gameplay that will keep you on the edge of your seat for more. It has the power to get you laughing at one point from the humorous interactions between characters, while also having that strong shock factor from twists and turns that slowly unfold as you progress through the individual chapters. It’s easy to get lost in the world of Threefold Recital and the city of Bluescales along with its characters—but its weakness lies in its slow pacing, and small translation errors that momentarily take you out from the fantasy.”

“Sorry We’re Closed is an intriguing and stylish survival horror which offers a fun and compelling story to follow as well as a unique twist into the classic survival horror formula. It’s enjoyable to play with its Third Eye mechanic, bringing in the best of both worlds with a snap of your fingers. While titled as a survival horror, it has many instances where its humorous dialogue shines. A wonderful blend of horror, humor, the inner workings of love, and ethereal beings, all in one package.”